The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-08-25

dwarfs were driven in southwesterly direc-
ton to the districts bordering on Siam, where
they are at present found. The legend
current among the Ainos-that Yezo, the
island they at present inhabit, was originally
peopled by dwarfs whom they drove out
may possibly be a vague recollection of .
chapter of ancient history enacted in Central
China.
As rule, Orientals are untrustworthy
authorities on events in remote antiquity,
and commonly one universal legend serves
to explain their various origins. Whether
Egyptians or Assyrians Manchus and Mon
golians, Tibetans or Amos, the founders of
their sects were sent floating down rivers in
boxes; which boxes fell into the hands of
friendly natives, who were so struck by the
beauty of the occupants that they recognized
them as children of the gods and chose them
as their chiefs. The Aino legend presents
cupant of the box was beautiful
japanese girl, who so charmed .
large white dog which stood upon the
strand that he fell in love with her and car
ried her off to cavern, where he fed her
upon fruits. In process of time child was
born to this strange couple, which gave evi.
dence of its paternity by being covered with
hair-a popularity which has ever afterward
clung to the race. This version of the Rom
ulus and Remus legend has its counter
first parent was wolf In each case a false
etymology of the tribal name is probably
responsible for the myth and in the case of
the Amos the physical popularity already
mentioned gives color to the supposed deriva-
ton of the word Aino from the japanese in,s.
dog. As matter Of fact, the word Aino
means "a man."
Physically the Amos are short people.
the men being broad-shouldered and
strongly built, with large feet and hands.
with short bristly hair: and Miss Bird de-
scribes two boys "whose backs were covered
| with fur as fine and soft as that of cat"
Though the eyebrows and beard are full and
bushy, the hair on the smooth parts of the
face is not more than thick down. Intel
lectually the Amos are deficient, though
their cranial development is such as to lead
one at first sight to attribute high mental gifts
to them. Being destitute of all literature they
are quite uncultured, and they possess only
the most rudimentary ideas of the world they
live in. They make gods of the owl, salmon,
fox, wolf hare and otter though their su-
preme object of worship is the bear, and this
only on account of his great strength. Fear
is the provoking cause of their reverence;
and just as in ancient sculptures we see men
in deprecatory rather than in an adoring
manner SO the Amos, not having any god
| whom they can love, have chosen one Of
whom they are afraid. With what would be,
| if this were not the case, a strange inconsis-
tency, they no sooner trap bear than chey
kill him and eat him, preserving only the
skin and the skull-the skin to serve for
clothing and the skull for fetish.
BY common belief their civilization, such
as it is, was first taught them by q sea-god
(after the manner of the Babylonian fish
| god) who supplied the people with daily
ration of fish by the hand Of his wife Turesh.
The one condition imposed on the people in
tions were to be asked, and that none should
attempt to see Turesh's face" Curiosity,
however, impelled an Aino "Peeping Tom"
to seize the hand of the goddess as she
handed in the daily quantity of fish at the
she % instantly M turned @ int into a Wriggllng, with.
ing sea-monster, and at the same moment .